Monday, February 20, 2012

Yesterday we were faced with the heart wrenching decision of having to put our dog, Chiquita, down. The most difficult thing we've had to do, or perhaps the easiest. She was suffering, in pain and not living the way she was entitled to live. It would have been selfish and it would have been for US, if we had not decided the way we did. We chose the way we did, for her.

She joined our family in November 2000. She was not my 'baby' or 'child' nor was I her 'mother'. She was our pet. But as a pet, she was a member of our family. A loved and respected member. She would protect and defend us and our property and we trusted her with our lives, as she trusted us with hers.

She had silly habits like sneaking used tissue and trying to eat it before she got caught. It had to be used though, fresh from the box just wasn't the same. Anything within nose reach on the counter was fair game and she was a fan of toothpaste.

Late last Fall she was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease. The disease itself doesn't kill the animal, but the effects of the disease are devastating to the organs and that is eventually what will make the animal suffer. Surgery and medication weren't options, but after much research we found some homeopathic drops that had good reviews and history and we gave them a try. They seemed to work for the last few months and we are so grateful for that.

Things aren't the same around here.

It will take time; but memories, though they fade, are gifts that were created when we were given the opportunity to live them, and love doesn't die.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

I'm a confessed tech-whore...so that in turn makes me an app-whore. Keep in mind that from my (short) list below, some of the apps were FREE and some were not. Some of the the apps were actually FREE (on sale) for a limited time and now are regular price, so I'm not going to list prices or even give links. If you are interested in a particular app search the App Store and you'll get details there. A lot of developers offer 'lite' versions of apps, these are usually less featured (won't do as many cool things) for FREE. Try the lite version (if available) play around with it and see if you like it before committing the 99 cents!

I have downloaded and deleted more apps than I care to remember. (Remember I am on iPad 2 and iPhone 4S so yes....there probably is an app for THAT) Not all apps are Frantastic™, but some are keepers.

So here's a few that I've been enjoying:

appsgonefree - Daily listing of apps that are free for a short time only(usually only 24 hours), I have gotten many cool apps FREE that normally would be $.99 or more!

AppStart - Nice starting place for new iPhone users, gives you the basic info, then suggests apps for you depending on your preferences and needs.

MeMeGen Pro- just for fun darn it! Super funny pics that you can put titles/captions to. It's not going to save the planet, but it is giggle-worthy.

instagram - Cool photo program, that all the cool kids use to take cool pictures! Did I mention it's cool? Once the pic is taken and fancied up, it's uploaded onto an instagram roll for the entire planet to see.

Camera+ - Lots of photo editing options here....LOTS.

PhotoStudio - Even more photo editing options...seriously.

The QRCode Machine - QR code fans unite! Whether creating or reading a QR code, this is the coolest app by far. Create code, save and email or decipher codes that have been sent to you or that you find in your journeys through life. Neat-o interface. If you have to ask what a QR code is....probably not the app for you.

Meernotes - Very nice note taking program. Notes are divided into books with chapters and indexes etc. Lovely hand writing font as an option and several 'cover' choices. Probably a bit too much detail for shopping lists or honey do lists, but if you're a writer, or blogger perhaps, this is a nice way to take note.

Pimp my Screen - Customization at its finest. Change the wallpaper, lock screen, choose from bazillions of 'app shelves' or backgrounds. Constantly updating available inventory. Lots of choices to make your iPhone look like YOUR iPhone.

Flipboard- a fantastic magazine like app that allows you to organize all of your feeds (many to choose from) and then peruse them in page flipping fashion. Just released for the iPhone recently, this app has been on my iPad forever. Granted it's a nicer view on the larger device but works well on the iPhone and I use it daily.

DataMan - Ahhhh data, the burden of all cell users. If you need to watch your data usage...this is the app for you. You input your cellphone billing date and plan maximum and then it monitors usage for both WIFI and network. Then when you reach 50% of plan you get a warning alert, and again at 70% and again at 90% and finally at 100% (can't say it didn't warn you!) You can also go in and check usage if you're curious. Darn it SIRI! Why must you suck so much....data.

Spool - Saves web pages and videos from your browser to your iPhone for offline viewing. Handling video, image galleries, slide shows, PDFs, long articles, and
blogs that you encounter and want to enjoy when you have time.Spool
does wonders where internet connections are spotty like on trains,
planes, and automobiles (passengers only, please.) At a boring meeting? The app loads up pages instantly from your device's local storage for
discrete under the table reading. On a plane and don't want to spend
$12 on WiFi? Spool up videos to make your long trip fly by. Your Spool will hold up to 2000 mb of data, so lots of room.

AccuWeather - much preferred over the on-board weather app...sorry Apple. As accurate as a weather forecast can be...and best part...it actually knows where McBride is!

Evi - Siri's younger, Android born cousin. Not as hip or stylish and certainly not as friendly or personal, can't even customize 'her' but for a basic search-bot she's a star! The one benefit over Siri is that Evi's searches result in pages you can view while still in Evi's interface. None of that pesky having to go to Safari to follow through on a search. The downfall to Evi is that since it's not an Apple borne creation, it doesn't interact with other apps, so no emails/texts/opening and closing of programs or taking notes/booking appointments or making lists. Evi is still in Beta so, she will most certainly improve with time.

Would love comments here or on Facebook with any gems that you use and enjoy!

Add 2 cups (or as much as you want, I use the whole package) of chocolate chips/chunks. You can use semi-sweet, milk, peanut butter, butterscotch...whichever flavour you prefer. You could also add 1/2 cup of nuts (pecans/walnuts etc.) should you so desire.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Cool on pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.